IMPORTANT DAMS IN INDIA

India's Lifelines: A State-Wise Exploration of Key Dams, Rivers, and Reservoirs

Serial No.	Dam	River	State	Reservoir
1	Tehri Dam	Bhagirathi River	Uttarakhand	Tehri Reservoir
2	Sardar Sarovar Dam	Narmada River	Gujarat	Sardar Sarovar Reservoir
3	Nagarjuna Sagar Dam	Krishna River	Telangana/Andhra Pradesh	Nagarjuna Sagar Reservoir
4	Bhakra Dam	Sutlej River	Himachal Pradesh	Gobind Sagar Reservoir
5	Hirakud Dam	Mahanadi River	Odisha	Hirakud Reservoir
6	Indira Sagar Dam	Narmada River	Madhya Pradesh	Indira Sagar Reservoir
7	Rihand Dam	Rihand River	Uttar Pradesh	Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar
8	Almatti Dam	Krishna River	Karnataka	Almatti Reservoir
9	Krishnarajasagara Dam	Cauvery River	Karnataka	Krishnarajasagara Reservoir
10	Ukai Dam	Tapi River	Gujarat	Ukai Reservoir
11	Tungabhadra Dam	Tungabhadra River	Karnataka/Andhra Pradesh	Tungabhadra Reservoir
12	Mettur Dam	Cauvery River	Tamil Nadu	Mettur Reservoir (Stanley Reservoir)
13	Bhavanisagar Dam	Bhavani River	Tamil Nadu	Bhavanisagar Reservoir
14	Maithon Dam	Barakar River	Jharkhand	Maithon Reservoir
15	Pong Dam	Beas River	Himachal Pradesh	Maharana Pratap Sagar
16	Rana Pratap Sagar Dam	Chambal River	Rajasthan	Rana Pratap Sagar Reservoir
17	Bhima Dam	Bhima River	Maharashtra	Ujjani Reservoir
18	Srisailam Dam	Krishna River	Telangana/Andhra Pradesh	Srisailam Reservoir
19	Koyna Dam	Koyna River	Maharashtra	Shivsagar Lake
20	Bisalpur Dam	Banas River	Rajasthan	Bisalpur Reservoir
21	Chamera Dam	Ravi River	Himachal Pradesh	Chamera Reservoir
22	Nizam Sagar Dam	Manjira River	Telangana	Nizam Sagar Reservoir
23	Periyar Dam	Periyar River	Kerala	Periyar Reservoir
24	Parambikulam Dam	Parambikulam River	Kerala	Parambikulam Reservoir
25	Idukki Dam	Periyar River	Kerala	Idukki Reservoir
26	Supreme Dam	Ghataprabha River	Karnataka	Ghataprabha Reservoir
27	Somasila Dam	Pennar River	Andhra Pradesh	Somasila Reservoir
28	Dhauli Ganga Dam	Dhauli Ganga River	Uttarakhand	Dhauli Ganga Reservoir
29	Indravati Dam	Indravati River	Odisha	Indravati Reservoir
30	Gandhi Sagar Dam	Chambal River	Madhya Pradesh	Gandhi Sagar Reservoir
31	Tilaiya Dam	Barakar River	Jharkhand	Tilaiya Reservoir
32	Dharoi Dam	Sabarmati River	Gujarat	Dharoi Reservoir
33	Dumkhar Hydroelectric Dam	Indus River	Jammu and Kashmir	Dumkhar Reservoir
34	Panchet Dam	Damodar River	Jharkhand	Gobind Sagar Reservoir
35	Narayanpur Dam	Krishna River	Karnataka	Narayanpur  Reservoir
36	Peechi Dam	Manali River	Kerala	Peechi Reservoir
37	Ranjit Sagar Dam	Ravi River	Punjab	Ranjit Sagar Reservoir
38	Pennar Dam	Pennar River	Andhra Pradesh	Pennar Reservoir
39	Supa Dam	Kalindi River	Karnataka	Supa Reservoir
40	Idamalayar Dam	Idamalayar River	Kerala	Idamalayar Reservoir
41	Malampuzha Dam	Malampuzha River	Kerala	Malampuzha Reservoir
42	Umiam Dam	Umiam River	Meghalaya	Umiam Lake
43	Wilson Dam	Pravara River	Maharashtra	Wilson Reservoir
44	Mayurakshi Dam	Mayurakshi River	West Bengal	Tilpara Reservoir
45	Matatila Dam	Betwa River	Uttar Pradesh	Matatila Reservoir
46	Tawa Dam	Tawa River	Madhya Pradesh	Tawa Reservoir
47	Hemavathi Dam	Hemavathi River	Karnataka	Hemavathi Reservoir
48	Vaigai Dam	Vaigai River	Tamil Nadu	Vaigai Reservoir
49	Gangapur Dam	Godavari River	Maharastra	Gangapur  Reservoir
50	Kaddam Dam	Kaddam River	Telangana	Kaddam Reservoir

Here's the picture of several important dams in India. It visually represents different types of dams across various landscapes, highlighting some notable ones like Bhakra Nangal, Sardar Sarovar, Tehri, and Hirakud. 

Dams in India serve several critical purposes and play a vital role in the country's infrastructure. Here’s what dams do and why they are constructed:

1. Water Storage and Supply

• Purpose: Dams store large quantities of water, which can be used for drinking, industrial purposes, and irrigation.
• Example: The Nagarjuna Sagar Dam on the Krishna River provides water for irrigation and drinking purposes in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

2. Irrigation

• Purpose: Dams facilitate the irrigation of agricultural lands, especially in regions with scanty rainfall. They ensure a consistent water supply to farmlands, boosting agricultural productivity.
• Example: The Indira Sagar Dam on the Narmada River helps irrigate vast areas of farmland in Madhya Pradesh.

3. Hydroelectric Power Generation

• Purpose: Many dams are equipped with hydroelectric power stations that convert the energy of falling water into electricity, providing a renewable source of energy.
• Example: The Bhakra Nangal Dam on the Sutlej River is one of the largest in India and generates a significant amount of hydroelectric power.

4. Flood Control

• Purpose: Dams help in controlling floods by regulating the flow of rivers. During heavy rainfall, they can store excess water and release it slowly, reducing the risk of downstream flooding.
• Example: The Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River in Odisha helps control flooding in the delta region.

5. Recreation and Tourism

• Purpose: Some dams create large reservoirs that become popular spots for recreational activities like boating, fishing, and sightseeing. They also attract tourism, contributing to the local economy.
• Example: The Aswan Dam in Egypt and the Bhakra Nangal Dam in India have both become tourist attractions.

6. Navigation

• Purpose: Dams can improve navigation on rivers by maintaining a steady flow of water, making it easier for ships and boats to traverse.
• Example: The Farakka Barrage on the Ganges River helps maintain navigability in the river, which is crucial for transport in eastern India.

7. Environmental and Ecosystem Management

• Purpose: Dams can help in creating stable water bodies that support aquatic life, wetlands, and diverse ecosystems. They can also be used for fish farming and other aquaculture practices.
• Example: The Tehri Dam on the Bhagirathi River creates a large reservoir that supports local ecosystems.

Why Dams Are Important:

• Economic Development: By providing water, electricity, and flood control, dams support agriculture, industry, and households, contributing to overall economic development.
• Disaster Management: Dams play a critical role in managing natural disasters like floods and droughts by regulating water flow.
• Sustainable Energy: Hydropower generated by dams is a renewable, clean energy source, helping reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

In summary, dams are multifaceted structures that serve essential roles in water management, energy production, agriculture, and disaster mitigation, making them indispensable to India's infrastructure and development.